Social Movement Unionism

Social Movement Unionism is a trend of theory and practice in contemporary trade unionism. Strongly associated with the labour movements of developing countries, Social Movement Unionism is distinct from many other models of trade unionism because it concerns itself with more than organising workers around workplace issues, pay and terms and conditions. It engages in wider political struggles for human rights, social justice and democracy. Social Movement Unionism grew out of political struggles in developing countries and was theorised as a distinct industrial relations model in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In this model, trade unions are not distinct from social movements and form part of a wider ecosystem of political activism that includes faith groups, civic and residents' organisations and student groups. These are usually organised into democratic umbrella organisations along a popular front model. The umbrella organisation generally has a programme or manifesto that all affiliates commit themselves to.

A prime example of social movement unionism is the link between the trade union federation Cosatu and the wider anti-apartheid struggle through the United Democratic Front in South Africa in the 1980s. More recently, Cosatu has successfully campaigned with the Treatment Action Campaign for access to medication for HIV-Aids. Social Movement Unionism is also a feature of the industrial relations of Brazil. Philippines and South Korea.

SMU is widely considered to be a highly dynamic and successful model, as evidenced by the success against apartheid and for treatment access, and by the fact that countries practising this model have generally bucked the trend of trade union decline experienced in the developed world. For instance, union density grew in South Africa by 130% between 1985 and 1995, during a period of steep decline in many developed countries.

In the developed world, Social Movement Unionism it is strongly associated with the organising model of trade unionism, and overlaps with Community Unionism. Social Movement Unionism attempts to integrate workers, trade unions and the labour movement into broader coalitions for social and economic justice. Thus, in principle, unions and other organisations support each other in what are seen as mutually beneficial goals.

The campus living wage work of unions, which have frequently worked with chapters of United Students Against Sweatshops, are an example of the principle in practice. Similarly, the 'Teamsters for Turtles' (as their t-shirts had it) at Seattle signalled a willingness of sections of the labour movement to engage with environmental concerns.

Other prominent examples include the relationship between Reclaim the Streets and the Liverpool Dockers (UK) during their strike in the late '90s; and the relationship between the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and progressive US students during the Boot the Bell campaign. Various labor-environmental coalitions also fit this social movement model.